The Colorado Avalanche are entering the 2025–26 season with high expectations — and one major contract question hanging over them.
Forward Martin Nečas is in the final year of his deal, and the organization cannot afford to mishandle this situation the way they did with Mikko Rantanen.
Last season, Colorado’s dispute with Rantanen over contract demands and role escalated into a breakup.
The Avs shipped him to the Carolina Hurricanes, but the move proved short-lived. Carolina quickly flipped Rantanen to the Dallas Stars, where he signed a long-term contract and is now positioned to torment Colorado as a divisional rival.
Losing a franchise winger in his prime, only to watch him line up against you in the Central Division, was a painful lesson.
That is why the Nečas case feels so important.
A Rising Star in His Prime
Nečas, 26, joined the Avalanche midway through last season and wasted no time making an impression. In 30 games with Colorado, he produced 28 points, logging over 20 minutes of ice time per game.
His blend of speed, playmaking, and finish gave the Avs a different look, particularly on the power play.
It wasn’t just a hot streak either. Over the full 2024–25 season, combining his work with Carolina and Colorado, Nečas finished with 27 goals and 83 points — career-best production that put him in the league’s top scoring tier.
He’s more than just a passenger on a talented roster. His ability to create offense off the rush, shift between center and wing, and attack both as a shooter and playmaker makes him one of the most versatile forwards in the NHL today.
Contract Pressure Building
The problem is timing. Nečas is entering the final year of his deal, and the Avalanche know his next contract will not come cheap.
Players with his age, skillset, and production almost always secure long-term deals north of $9 million annually.
With the salary cap rising and demand for top forwards spiking, some believe he could push closer to $9.5–10 million per year on an eight-year contract.
For Colorado, the urgency is clear. They cannot allow another elite forward to walk out the door.
The optics of losing Rantanen in a dispute, only to potentially fumble Nečas negotiations one year later, would be disastrous.
Lessons from Carolina
This isn’t the first time Nečas has been at the center of contract tension. While with the Hurricanes, he pushed for a bigger role, including opportunities to play center, but clashed with management on usage.
Carolina resisted long-term commitments and eventually moved him to Colorado in the Rantanen trade.
Now the Avalanche must weigh those same factors. Does Nečas view himself as a future top-line center?
Or is he most effective on the wing next to elite players like Nathan MacKinnon or Gabriel Landeskog? His preference could shape negotiations — both in role and in salary.
Why the Avalanche Must Act Fast
The Avalanche have no shortage of stars: MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Landeskog, and Devon Toews headline one of the most talented cores in hockey.
But depth has been tested in recent years, especially when injuries strike.
Nečas is exactly the type of high-skill forward that gives them margin for error — and letting him reach free agency would be gambling with their championship window.
The stakes are high. If Nečas feels undervalued or mishandled, the Avs risk losing another cornerstone talent to a rival.
Dallas already benefited once from Colorado’s contract standoff with Rantanen. The Avalanche can’t afford to repeat history.
The Bottom Line: Avs at a crossroad
Martin Nečas isn’t just another good player; he’s a rising star entering his prime, capable of changing games and driving offense at an elite level.
Colorado has seen firsthand what happens when negotiations sour with a star forward. With Rantanen gone and haunting them in Dallas, the organization must make Nečas a priority.
The message is clear: pay him, commit to him, and keep him in burgundy and blue long-term.
If the Avalanche fail to do that, they risk weakening their championship core — and repeating the same mistake that cost them one of their best players just a year ago.
